Individual Consultant for Youth Participation in Local Governance

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, is a United Nations agency that works in over 190 countries and territories. Its mission is to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children, save their lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. UNICEF operates with a workforce of thousands of employees dedicated to improving the lives of children and families globally. The organization focuses on various areas including education, health, protection, and social inclusion, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive. UNICEF is committed to building a better world for everyone and never gives up on its mission to advocate for children's rights.

Job Overview:
The position of Individual Consultant for Youth Participation in Local Governance is crucial in the context of Uzbekistan, where a significant portion of the population consists of children and young people. The consultant will lead initiatives aimed at strengthening youth participation in local decision-making processes and community development. This role involves collaborating closely with UNICEF's Social Policy and Youth and Adolescent Development teams, as well as national partners like Yuksalish and UNDP. The consultant will be responsible for expanding youth engagement platforms, building local government capacity, and enhancing the skills and confidence of adolescents and youth in targeted districts. The overarching goal is to institutionalize and systematize youth participation in local governance, ensuring that the rights and needs of children and youth are prioritized in community development efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will undertake several key responsibilities, including:

• Expanding and building platforms for meaningful youth engagement, such as Youth Advisory Boards under local governments, participatory budgeting initiatives, and digital engagement platforms like U-Report.
• Developing Terms of Reference and Codes of Conduct for Youth Advisory Boards, ensuring they are validated by local government authorities.
• Recruiting members for the Youth Advisory Boards and supporting them in conducting consultations with peers on local government plans.
• Designing and delivering training modules on participatory planning and budgeting for local government teams.
• Conducting workshops to enhance young people's awareness of child rights and participatory budgeting.
• Monitoring and documenting the results of the program, providing recommendations for further strengthening youth engagement at the local level.
• Traveling to various districts to facilitate workshops and support youth-led social innovation projects.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a university degree in public policy, economics, legal science, or related fields. They should have at least 5 years of professional experience in public policy within Uzbekistan, with verified records of work experience. A minimum of 1 year of experience in facilitating meaningful youth participation, particularly at the local level, is essential. Excellent teamwork and cooperation skills with a wide range of national partners are required, along with previous experience in project monitoring and facilitation of training/workshops. Experience working with UNICEF or UN-funded projects is considered an asset.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a university degree in relevant fields such as public policy, economics, or legal science. This educational foundation is crucial for understanding the complexities of governance, policy-making, and the rights of children and youth.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have at least 5 years of professional experience in public policy, specifically within Uzbekistan. This experience should be verified through records of work experience. Additionally, candidates must have at least 1 year of experience in facilitating meaningful youth participation, particularly at the local level, demonstrating their ability to engage effectively with young people and local governance structures.

Languages:
Fluency in Uzbek and Russian is mandatory for this position, as these languages are essential for effective communication with local stakeholders and youth participants. Knowledge of English is considered an asset, as it may facilitate broader communication and understanding of international best practices in youth engagement and governance.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy position does not specify a deadline for applications. The consultant will be expected to travel frequently to various target districts, with at least three visits to each of the 12 locations during the project timeline from June 2025 to May 202

• Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) will be provided in accordance with UNICEF regulations. Candidates are required to submit a professional fee in USD for undertaking this assignment, excluding travel fees, which will be reimbursed as incurred. The selected candidate will be subject to rigorous reference and background checks, and must adhere to UNICEF's values and principles, including a commitment to diversity and inclusion.